Mike Leonard: Holiday LEDs lighting the way for commercial use

Dec. 10, 2013

Written by

Mike Leonard

For The Tennessean

’Tis the season for LED lights. This wasn’t true until recently, but the Tennessee state Christmas tree is adorned with 3,000 LEDs, the Rockefeller Plaza tree has 45,000, and the landscapes at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center feature 2 million LEDs, providing brilliant light for all to enjoy.

But LED lights are not just for decoration. LED bulbs and fixtures are increasingly being used as homeowners and company owners recognize their benefits. Much of this is due to manufacturers and retailers providing better education, often through packaging, along with more budget-friendly options.

Even with an upfront cost that is four to five times higher than other options, everyone should consider the significant impact of LED lighting in a home or business.

Commercial buildings consume 70 percent of electricity in the U.S., and lighting often accounts for 30 percent to 40 percent of that. So it makes sense to focus on efficient lighting to significantly reduce fossil fuel use and save money.

The light-emitting diode, or LED, has been around for more than 50 years, but it took the recent development of white LEDs to bring the technology back into the public eye for daily lighting. It’s a needed option because of the broad dislike of the most prevalent alternative, the compact fluorescent bulb.

LED technology continues to advance and — although pricing has been a deal-breaker in the past — big-box retailers have been working with manufacturers to introduce value-oriented LED fixtures.

Let’s look at replacing one 75 watt Halogen PAR 38 outdoor floodlamp — a typical floodlight — with its LED equivalent. Based on six hours of operation a day, the LED alternative will save $180 during its life, even with the higher initial bulb cost.

LED lamps are 80 percent more efficient, creating this savings. They provide similar quality and appearance, function well in the cold, emit 40 percent less heat and last up to 25 times longer than traditional bulbs. That’s 11 years without climbing a ladder to change the floodlight.

In offices, LEDs face tough competition with efficient fluorescent lamps overhead. But LEDs provide significant performance gains in downlighting, task light and parking lot applications. The 179D federal tax incentive, which likely will be renewed by Congress in 2014, can assist owners of commercial buildings offset some initial costs when efficient lamps, like LEDs, are used.

While not right for every application, many are looking to LED and other high-efficiency lighting in construction and renovation projects.

In fact, Hastings Architecture’s sustainability arm, greenSTUDIO, will have all LED fixtures in its new office space in the Bridge Building, which you may recognize by its alternating multi-colored LED banner at the top — green and red for the season.

Mike Leonard is the director of greenSTUDIO, a division of Hastings Architecture Associates. He was among the first architects in Tennessee to earn the LEED Accredited Professional credential.